Job Seekers: Is Having the Wrong Social Presence Better Than Not Having One at All?

It might be hard to believe but there are still people out there who have not given in to the temptation and joined the social universe. These people don't have Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or blog or any other type of social account. I've met them as students in my college classroom and as colleagues and fellow community members. On the other hand, there are many more that have joined the assorted social networks but are "over-sharing".  I've also had these in my classroom and as friends and acquaintances. Members from both these groups are currently looking for work or will be very soon. The U.S. Unemployment Rate is 8.5% and with new job seekers entering the picture each month, competition for jobs continues to increase.

So I ask the question, is having the "wrong" social presence better than not having one at all?

More and more frequently, Human Resource Managers and Hiring Managers are reviewing the digital identities of their top applicants to learn about their character as well as their attitude. Posting photos of yourself in compromising positions, posting about "risky" behavior or ranting about negative experiences will certainly put a damper on your job prospects, but posting nothing at all may be worse. Developing within the business world is an expectation of social connectivity. More and more brands are actively engaging in social media campaigns and monitor daily news and discussions on the topics that are relevant to their business.  They expect this same level of engagement from their employees and potential employees. Not being socially savvy may translate to not being web savvy or engaged in a continuous learning process. Not having any social profile also leaves your identity up to speculation or interpretation.

For those out there who do have active social profiles, here are my top 5 Tips for a Successful Job Seeker.

1) Clean up your act. Delete any photos that show you in an unflattering light. This includes photos of you out with your buddies at the bar, revealing or tacky Halloween costumes and even some pictures you're not even in but show content that not everyone will appreciate. And it doesn't matter if you have your profile privacy setting at high alert (which I recommend); there are still ways to get to those images.

2) Limit the amount of profanity you write if you're a potty-mouth. Excessive foul language is a red flag to potential employers. It is a sign that you may have anger management issues or might be a harassment risk.

3) Don't be negative all of the time. This just shows that you can't be pleased and are likely to create a negative vibe in the workplace.

4) Add value to your relationships. Be encouraging, share useful information and be a part of the conversation.

5) Just be you. Don't create a persona you think a potential employer wants to see, they want to see you and they can spot a falsified account a mile away.

For those out there that still don't have a single social profile. Get one. LinkedIn.com is probably the best place to start. LinkedIn is a professional networking site and a source for job leads. The importance of having a social profile will vary by industry, but don't let the lack of one stand between you and your career.

Find Your Sound

As I watch the 2011-2012 NCAA College Bowl Season I am inspired by Nelly's "The Champ", the soundtrack to this year's season.  This anthem will forever mark these events for these young athletes and forever be a reminder of their joys and triumphs.  I'm sure many of us upon hearing a song or a sound are reminded of events long past.  For instance, for me "Eternal Flame" is a reminder of my 6th grade Spring Dance in my school's gymnasium and Extreme's "More than Words" also reminds me of my Middle School Days.



Music and sound sparks a strong response from most people. It's why football teams travel with their marching bands and so much is put into the sound effects and scores for movies and television shows.  As marketers we have an opportunity to include a music bed behind most electronic media.  Put care into making these decisions.  Make sure the sound matches your message, evokes the desired emotion and compliments the products/services.  A great example of one brand doing this is Corona in the "Find Your Beach" series. The beach sounds transport the viewer to...the beach.


So think about your sound choices and don't wast a great opportunity to identify with your consumer and make an impact.

Ahhhh, the holidays

Holiday ads have started airing and its only November 8th.  It is hard to predict if consumer spending will increase or decrease this season.  What about holiday event ticket sales for The Nutcracker, Christmas Jubilees and other special presentations? Anyone out there have any thoughts?

9-11 Commemorative Commercials: Classy or Tacky?

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, State Farm, Budweiser and Verizon, among others, aired 9/11 tribute commercials.  I found these ads to be very genuine and moving homages to that historic day.  Some people will argue that creating and airing such commercials is taking advantage and seeking financial gain off a tragedy.  I couldn't disagree more.  I was sitting watching NFL and fiddling on my laptop when I heard the children begin to sing "New York State of Mind."   It made me pause, look up and take a moment of reflection on what was lost ten years ago.  And I believe that was the sole intent of State Farm.  At that moment I posted the following tweet:

Today I received the following response:

This has made me curious as to the opinions of the masses. Do you support the creation and airing of these 9/11 tribute commercials or do you believe they are in bad taste?

Oddly enough, I believe the point my responder was trying to make was negated by the fact that he was doing exactly what he is accusing others of doing.  Looking at his twitter feed, he seeked out posts to which he could respond to with links back to this one site, no doubt as advertising to build page views for his own agenda.

The State Farm, Budweiser and Verizon ads may be viewed at http://www.tvguide.com/News/911-Tribute-Commercials-1037241.aspx.

2011 Ace Get Your Weekend Back

Clever...

Announcing Official Website

It's official, I'm in business.  Please visit my new website at www.adgrlsu.com.  AdgrlSu Social Media Management is an agency devoted to digital media and more specifically social media.  If you need help organizing and managing your social media marketing, contact me for a consultation.

Eathquakepocolypse

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, a 5.9 earthquake hit the east coast and within minutes, and perhaps seconds, various social media platforms were abuzz with the chatter.  

From Facebook:

"I thought I was just imagining an earthquake until I just logged onto Facebook and everyone is talking about our earthquake!!!! I have never felt anything like that before!!!" Angela Roberts

"Freaking EARTHQUAKE!! We lost stuff off our top shelves and it scared the hell outta the cats! HOLY CRAP!!!!" Christopher Carothers

From Twitter:

"#BreakingNews: 5.8-magnitude #earthquake strikes #Virginia, with tremors felt along the east coast" @Foxnews

"Yup! We felt it here. RT @ariannahuff did you feel earthquake in ny? It started in richmondva! #nyc #earthquake" @Forbes

And my favorite:

"And right at 10 minutes for the earthquake to reach Epic Swarm status. That's absolutely insane. http://4sq.com/pH90eQ" @aboutfoursquare

Almost immediately a venue was created for Eathquakepocolypse.  Check-ins at this freshly created venue were quickly in the thousands, the fastest swarm in foursquare history. Dozens of photos were also being uploaded.

Visit Foursquare for more about the record-breaking stats.

What can we learn from this?  We are addicted to our social media.  Even in the face of a natural disaster we want our twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and everything else.  I would venture to say it helps us feel safe and comforted to still be able to connect, even if its with virtual strangers.  

It is important to note that minimal damage was reported in connection with this earthquake.